VanheesBenoit

For those who like fast moving plots and every two minutes at least three bodies, this movie (translated "Focal Point") will be a terrible disappointment. There will be three bodies for sure, but in the whole movie. It starts with a photographer, who dies – apparently accidentally - in Antwerp. His wife gets intrigued by the affair, not realizing that all here moves are closely watched by people she trusts, and even by her neighbors. Slowly but surely a plot is unveiled, that has lots of similarities with Lee Harvey Oswald's tragic adventure, if Arlen Spector will forgive me not to believe in magic... It's a so-so movie, very French, very 1970's, that seems sponsored by Gitanes cigarettes. The music alternates all the time, now you hear cheerful accordion, then it are somber, menacing notes. During the latter, often close ups of a black American car is personifying that looming menace, moving in for the final kill as a wolf pack.

Singer Jacques Dutronc ("worldfamous in France" with songs like "Il est cinq heures, Paris s'éveille" plays one of the conspirators, but that's rather PR than a real bonus. Serge Gainsbourg too did some similar stints, that must have been fun for his fans, but didn't really lifted those movies to a higher echelon. I'd rate Point de mire 6,5/10, it's not terribly bad, but it is not super either. If you like this kind of "lone nut" set ups, you'd better go for "I...comme Icare" with Yves Montand.

When fishermen find the body of a dead man in their nets, secret agent Antoine Donadieu starts investigating the murder. He soon learns that a Chriscraft that might have something to do with the murder has been spotted by a witness. It leads Donadieu to a luxurious villa, where some strange characters are living, including a violent valet called Hamlet, a painter with some resemblance with Salvator Dali and a gorgeous Senta Berger-like vamp with tempting lips, played by Austrian belle Marisa Mell (1939-1992). (After a terrible car crash in 1963, two years before this movie was made, she underwent heavy plastic surgery in the face)

Donadieu is an unconvincing answer to James Bond,unraveling a plot that might have endangered world peace. But except for an American car with a telephone, Donadieu's impressive knowledge of judo and karate and a laser gun, there are no exotic weapons nor fancy gadgets in the movie. The plot is only moderately enjoyable, and nor the beautiful locations, nor some nice cars (watch out for the superb silver Alfa Romeo sports-car) nor Mell can save this movie.

With his 52 years, Jean Marais was already an aging actor, and it really shows. Frankly, I don't get it, why his presence is supposed to be a plus for this movie. Furthermore, this film somehow hesitates too much between a serious spy flick à la "Spy who came in..." and a funny parody. It definitely is rather the latter, but it misses the humor and wild exaggerations which make Bond fans enthusiastic. As such, Train d'Enfer might be a disappointment for both Le Carré-fans and Bond-aficionados. Cameo role for reporter-radio star-actor and "Grosse Tête" Leon Zitrone (1914-1995)

I'd rate it something between 5 and 6/10. Based on the French video issued by Video Paradiso (VHS 508886)

Sebastien Grenier is a successful French businessman, who has been living in Switserland for several years. He's married to a German professor of literature. But Grenier has a secret: he used to be a field agent for the French secret service SDECE. However, as the years went by, he certainly don't expect a wake up call any longer. He couldn't have been more wrong… Similarly as with CIA-agents, once SDECE, always SDECE… He's played by a somewhat grumpy, tired looking Lino Ventura.

It all starts with a RAF style execution of a passenger in a tramway by a leftist terrorist group. From then on, Grenier gets caught in a whirlwind of events, leading to several other violent deaths. The "where's" and "when's" of these events are announced in a cool voice by a narrator. (Several other spy movies use a similar semi-documentary approach, others use a "telex"-message for the same purpose). The first victim is Henri Marchand, another SDECE-agent, played by Bernard Fresson. Many Americans will remember him as the French commissaire Barthélémy in French Connection II, with his funny clashes with "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hacklman.

Grenier soon realizes that he might not live very long anymore. But who is the spider in the deadly web around him ? Is it the mysterious and cold "Richard", played by Bruno Cremer ?(of "Maigret"-fame). Or is it Jean-Paul Chance, a slick Swiss high official from the Justice Department, who seems to be extremely well informed by whatever Grenier is doing. (Chance is played by Michel Piccoli, who clearly enjoys irritating the Grenier-character). Who's systematically knocking out several pawns on the international chess game, and why ? In the end, the French former agent will manage to shed some light into some dark corners. What he doesn't realize is that the gun, pointed at his back is hidden in another shadowy corner. Or is he ?

Not a bad movie, but by far not as good as "Le silencieux" (1973, also with Ventura. Maybe the movie doesn't really manages to create a real mysterious atmosphere of clear and present danger, as for example "La septième cible" manages to do in a better way. The way the secret agents communicate with each other also has something laughable, it all looks so terribly boyscoutish. It also made me seasick to see how sparkless the Grenier-Gretz "couple" apparently had become. They were clearly at the brink of a total burn out, before death took its toll… In fact, the whole movie has something extremely depressing: the tired looks of Grenier, his moody interactions with his business collaborator, his secretary and his wife, and every one involved in the story. The soundtrack consists of a sober, efficient but also somewhat depressing march, yet another Morricone creation. Even the landscapes of Switserland surely wouldn't be the ones I would use to attract more tourists